The 12 days of Christmas is one of the most well-known Christmas songs ever. Some people claim that it is actually a Christian allegory - the 2 turtle doves refer to the Old and New Testaments, the 4 calling birds refer to the 4 gospels, the maids-a-milking are in reference to the 8 beatitudes, etc.
But that allegory is easily disputable, and it's not a discussion that I want to start. Listening to it, however, did make me think about what it means to truly love someone. In the song, the singers' "true love" gives him an overabundance of gifts - 12 partridges in pear trees and drummers drumming, 22 turtle doves and pipers piping, 30 french hens and lords-a-leaping, 36 calling birds and ladies dancing, 40 golden rings and maids-a-milking, and 42 geese-a-laying and swans-a-swimming, to be exact.
Now don't get me wrong, I really love both giving and receiving gifts...but even for me, that seems a little excessive. It doesn't seem like you should have to buy all of that to show your love. So what is true love? How do you show it to Jesus, who already has everything? I like to think that Jesus prefers a more personal gift. One that cost less money, but is still just as costly.
So this year, instead of turtle doves, how about giving your time to people in need? Instead of maids-a-milking, why don't you make someone a meal? Instead of calling birds, why don't you care for someone less fortunate than you? In lieu of french hens, why don't you give a friendly word to someone who needs it? God has lavished great love on us, indeed. It's only right that we do the same for others.
But that allegory is easily disputable, and it's not a discussion that I want to start. Listening to it, however, did make me think about what it means to truly love someone. In the song, the singers' "true love" gives him an overabundance of gifts - 12 partridges in pear trees and drummers drumming, 22 turtle doves and pipers piping, 30 french hens and lords-a-leaping, 36 calling birds and ladies dancing, 40 golden rings and maids-a-milking, and 42 geese-a-laying and swans-a-swimming, to be exact.
Now don't get me wrong, I really love both giving and receiving gifts...but even for me, that seems a little excessive. It doesn't seem like you should have to buy all of that to show your love. So what is true love? How do you show it to Jesus, who already has everything? I like to think that Jesus prefers a more personal gift. One that cost less money, but is still just as costly.
So this year, instead of turtle doves, how about giving your time to people in need? Instead of maids-a-milking, why don't you make someone a meal? Instead of calling birds, why don't you care for someone less fortunate than you? In lieu of french hens, why don't you give a friendly word to someone who needs it? God has lavished great love on us, indeed. It's only right that we do the same for others.
1 John 3:1-3
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.
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